Hello My lovelies! I hope you guys weren't disappointed with the last chapter! This chapter isn't really angsty, maybe a little sad but not angsty! I hope you enjoy! And don't worry! Happy chapters to come!

~CB~

1 Week Ago- "Where is he?" She demanded, she had been on her way to investigate a possible clue when she got the phone call from a hospital. They had informed her that a man matching the Author's description had claimed she was his wife and that he was heavily drugged.

Apparently he had been in the hospital for the past 2 weeks and had just now woken up. She knew in her gut that it was him, she dropped everything on her mind and raced to the hospital with Vikram in the passenger seat.

She nearly puked when she saw his state, his face was deathly pale and tubes were stuck in him. IV's were dripping next to him and his monitor was too quiet for her liking. The doctor had informed her that he had been heavily drugged on Ketamine and other toxic rugs.

They suggested that he be placed under a medically induced coma for a few weeks to help with the swelling in his brain. The blow he received to his head had caused internal damage in his brain, it hadn't been deathly but they were honest in telling her he was lucky.

A week and some days passed and not one day went by that Kate wasn't right next to him. The doctors promised her that he was getting better by the day but her worries didn't leave anytime soon. They were running tests one day and while they were waiting for the diagnosis her phone reminder popped up reminding her that Alexis would be coming home today.

Her body froze when she saw that, she didn't want to even imagine the little girl's face when her father wasn't there to pick her up in the airport. So she called Meredith and begged her to change the flight and have Alexis fly out to London.

Meredith had been wary about it and Kate rolled her eyes, why was Meredith worried about her daughter now? She had 10 years to do it and now out of the blue she wanted to be in her daughter's life?

After a firm persuasion, Meredith finally agreed to let Alexis fly out to London to meet with Kate. The brunette met her step-daughter in the airport terminal.

Her heart nearly broke when she saw Alexis's face, the poor kid was scared to death when Kate told her about her father's condition. "Why didn't anyone tell me!?" She cried.

Kate gulped, "Alexis sweetie I'm so sorry! I wasn't even thinking, you had every right to know." Kate whispered, she moved to sit next to the red head.

Alexis turned away from her stepmother and crossed her fragile arms, "I waited every day for him to call me."

She teared, "And you wouldn't pick up when I called you!" Her anger lashed out.

Kate bit her lip to confine the sob she wanted to release, She had disabled her old phone so that no one could track her and she hadn't even thought about Alexis trying to get a hold of her. The burner phone that she had bought was simply a way to communicate with Castle and Vikram, no one else.

She had still put her reminders on it and that was sadly the only reason she remembered about Alexis coming home. She felt ashamed of herself for that and no one else was to blame but herself. The little girl eventually came around, she was still hurt but she easily forgave Kate.

~CB~

Now presently they both waited for any knew sign of improvement from their shared loved one. While Kate went to get herself a coffee Alexis climbed up to next to her father and clasped his hand in hers.

"Please wake up daddy." She whimpers, her daddy is hurt and there's nothing she can do to help him! She needs him now, wants his protective arms around her small tiny frame.

Daddy always made her feel better and secure. She runs her tiny hand across his stubbly cheek, it makes her giggle; her dad always shaved, he never had facial hair. It was weird to her but also funny. She kissed his cheek and snuggled up next to his side. The doctors promised he would be okay once he woke up.

"Wake up daddy." She pleaded.

Suddenly Castle began to move, he slightly moaned as his eyes opened. She squealed with delight when he opened his bright, blue eyes at her. Kate gasped when she saw him awake, "Rick." She breathed.

Ran over and kissed his cheek tenderly, her tears wetting his hospital gown.

Castle moaned, "we need to talk."

Kate nodded and waited for him to get Alexis to agree to leave them for a few moments. She waited till Alexis was gone before grabbing his face and planting a passionate kiss on his lips. After a few moments he eventually lifted his eyes and she could see the pain and confusion laced in them.

She ran her hand through his oily hair and waited for him to speak his mind. "I need to know what happened Kate."

She sighed and nodded, "I know..and I'm going to tell you everything."

Her husband nodded his acceptance and leaned his head back on the pillow, flinching a little from the discomfort. "As soon as you were taken me and Vikram sprang into action to find you." She began, start small Kate, start small. "He found a traffic cam footage of the woman's..

"Grace." he mumbled.

Kate tilted her head in confusion, "What?"

"Her name was grace..the woman that I..that I killed?" He choked out, tears sprang in his eyes and she felt her heart break all over again.

Oh Rick.

"Babe it wasn't your fault! you killed her in self- defense." She wrapped her hand around his and gently stroked it. Castle squeezed his eyes shut, he ripped his hand from hers and shook his head.

"No, don't touch me Kate, I don't want to hurt you." He muttered, he killed a human being with these hands, he didn't want to hurt anyone else.

But Kate stubbornly yanked it back, "Rick- listen to me babe, you didn't kill her for fun! You killed her to save your life, nothing is wrong with that." She mumbled.

Castle slowly opened his eyes and looked at her with a hesitancy, "I- ok." He gave in, but he wasn't fully convinced.

Killing someone isn't exactly something you can brush off. Kate wanted to push further but she held back, "Want me to continue?" She asked gently.

Her husband nodded, "Well- we traced her plate and finally found her car, she dumped it in an alley though- she knew we would find it."

Rick slightly chuckled, "She was smart."

Kate smirked and gently flicked him, "hey now-"

"Anyway, after that we kept tracing her, hoping to find some kind of finger print but she wiped it clean!"

Kate shifted her weight so that she was leaning towards him, "We weren't getting anywhere- then an unknown number called and I almost didn't pick up- it was the hospital, and I knew.." She mumbles, "I'm so sorry babe." She teared up.

Castle shook his head, "Wasn't your fault." he growled.

Kate shook her head, "None of this would have happened if I had just- stopped." She admitted.

Rick took his lip by his teeth and sighed, "Maybe so-but I have a feeling this particular incident wasn't fully involved with Locksat, she was obsessed with me." He mumbled, turned his head to this side to think.

"And I'm sure even with out Locksat, she would have tried something." he assures, squeezes her hand this time.

He has a little more confidence. Kate sighs and nods, "I guess- anyway I came down as soon as they called, gosh I got so mad when they told me you had already been in her for 2 weeks! They made an excuse that you had no identity so they couldn't possibly know who you were."

She scoffed, "I saw a nurse with your latest book! 'couldn't possibly know'?" She mocked.

Castle chuckled, "Kate calm down- I must have looked pretty banged up for them not to realize who I was even with a picture staring straight in their faces."

Kate growled, "Maybe but still- you were here for 2 weeks in a coma!? With no one." She mumbled, takes her thumb and runs it across his cheekbone.

Castle can't help but lean into the touch, he missed her- really missed her. "We're done." She promised and his eyes widened with horror.

Kate gasped, "Not like that! I mean't we're done investigating Locksat, let someone else do it but I want none of it." She assured.

Rick gulped, no..way, "Kate are-are you sure?" he mumbled, he couldn't get his hopes up because she promised this before and look where it got them.

Kate nodded, "And I'm sticking with my promise- I'm quitting the force."

Castle felt his breathing hitch, "R-really?"

She nodded and leaned into kiss his cheek. Her nose scrunched up from the facial hair, "I do not like that at all!"

Rick groaned, "You too?"

Kate giggled, "Well your just naturally a baby faced person." She shrugged, tugged his ear gently with a smirk on her face.

"Fine woman- call the nurse to shave me."

Kate rolled her eyes, "I'll do it."

Rick smirked, "Well if your sure.."

Kate mocked him and stood up, "Be right back." As soon as she went out, his little red-head came in.

"Daddy!" She smiled, gently plopped on his bed and hugged his neck.

Rick chuckled but placed a kiss on her hair, "Hey pumpkin! I missed you." He wrapped his hands around her easily- why was it so east for him to hug and hold his daughter without guilt or fear of hurting her? With Kate he was deathly scared he was going to hurt her if she touched him.

His thoughts were popped when Alexis's babbling came clear, "Mom was worried about you too." She murmered, she took his hands and played with his fingers.

Rick couldn't help but chuckled, Meredith? Worry about him? "Well I'll call her soon and thank her." he promised, gave his daughter a cheery smile for her sake.

He knew she had to have been worried sick when he didn't call for 2 straight weeks. He gently padded her back and waited for her to sit up, "So pumpkin- I know you must have been worried." he slowly said, he knew his daughter- she was goo about closing herself off.

Alexis cast her eyes down to the floor and bit her lip- a habit she picked up from Kate. Rick clasped her hand in his and smiled the one smile reserved for his daughter, "i know you were scared sweetie, and I was in trouble yes but I wasn't going to let anyone keep you from me." He promised.

Alexis sniffled and finally brought her eyes up to look at him, "I was mad at you because you didn't call, and then they said you were hurt- I'm sorry daddy." She sobbed, Ah- there it was.

She was worried he would be furious because she had been mad. "Hey no, you had every right." He assured, stroked his hand across her long red hair.

Alexis slowly died down on the sobbing, "I'm glad your okay daddy." She whispered.

Rick smiled and kissed her head, "Me too pumpkin."

"Rick the nurse's said-Oh hey sweetie." Kate smiled when she saw Alexis's in Rick's arms.

Alexis giggled and waved, "Kate can we get burgers? i'm hungry."

Rick gasped, "Don't forget me!"

His girls smirked, "I don't know Alexis- does he deserve them?"

Alexis hummed, "I guess so." She finally said.

Rick clutched his heart in fake agony, "My heart can't take this." He sniffled, Kate chuckled- "Your mom would be very proud." She winked.

Suddenly Rick's eyes widened, "Kate-"

She smiled and whispered, "Don't worry, I made sure the resort where she's staying out tells her she needs to fly out."

Rick smiled, "Thanks."

"Mhmm, and I was going to say the nurses will bring in a shaving kit later so I can- cut this off." She motioned to his scruff.

Rick sighed, "I kind of like it."

Kate smirked, "Not if you want me to kiss you ever again."

Castle gasped, "Nurse! Hurry up." He yelled.

Kate and Alexis burst out laughing as they left to get the food.

Rick smiled, this is what he had missed and loved so much.

~CB~

Reviews are loveddd! Also This is chapter 15 of my story and I'm going to have about 5 more before I finish it!